Tag Archives: training techniques

A friend of mine recently adopted a labrador, and so naturally, the conversation turned quickly from training techniques to the incredible things labradors eat.

Let me preface this by saying I do not ALLOW my dog to eat junk that could harm him–but he is lightening fast when it comes to eating, and sometimes he’s choking down something before I can bat an eyelash. He is quite literally a garbage disposal on four legs.

Obviously, I love this crazy dog, and I don’t want him to get sick or be harmed by something he eats, and I am in NO way promoting the idea that you should allow your labrador to eat everything. I’m just saying that the world is not puppy-proof, and there’s only so much I can do. He is, after all, a canine who loves eating more than life itself.

He would do ANYTHING for food. Actually, he would do ANYTHING for something he THINKS is food. It’s great for training and keeping the floor clean of crumbs, but not so good for his digestion.

So, inspired by the conversation with my friend & her new puppy….

Things My Labrador has Consumed or Utterly Destroyed through Mastication

Tree branches

Corn stalks (fresh from the field)

Large stones (usually spit out)

Butterflies, grasshoppers and other assorted insects

Banana peel

Toilet paper

Flowers from the garden

House flies (encouraged)

His leather leash

Socks, socks and more socks

Potted Bird of Paradise plant

His own fur (from the dog brush)

Bailey’s fur (from the dog brush)

His dog bed

The zipper on his mat–yes, JUST the zipper

Countless stuffed dog toys

Manure

My son’s Crocs

Ten-pound, foam-coated hand weights

Bird, rabbit and deer droppings

Toilet water

A five-pound weight (the shiny kind that goes on a barbell)

The contents of an entire wastepaper basket

The cover to my daughter’s history book

A foam soccer ball

A fly swatter

Monopoly Money

A reflective dog vest

A fortune cookie, gold foil wrapper and all

*Nearly eaten: my favorite ear ring, plucked directly from my ear, which I was able to retrieve from his drooly mouth before he swallowed it!

Charlie is notorious for stealing stuffed animals from the children’s beds, eating his dog food in less than 45 seconds and for hoarding anything shiny. He has even been known to carry around 2 or 3 toys in his mouth at one time.

Strangely, Charlie does not eat shoes (even my goat-leather running shoes that still smell like camels from our trip to Jordan), nor does he eat garlic (though he tasted a clove that fell on the floor).

I DO give him actual bones to chew on, (supposedly) appropriate dog toys, and he gets frequent exercise.

He simply eats with gusto.

He is, after all, a labrador, and his zeal for eating is part of his charm.